The present invention relates to a vehicle with a lighting unit for illuminating a vehicle environment and a detection unit for detecting an object in the vehicle environment. In addition the present invention relates to a method for operating a vehicle by illuminating a vehicle environment through a lighting unit and detecting an object in the vehicle environment.
Many vehicle manufacturers currently offer monitoring systems that observe the direct environment of the vehicle. One of the most well-known ultrasound-based systems is—predominantly in the motor car field—the so-called parking assistance or Parktronic® system. This works with a total of ten ultrasound sensors arranged on the front and rear of the vehicle.
For the field of heavy goods vehicles, the MAN company has constructed an ultrasound-based start-up warning system, which is described, for example, in German Patent Document DE 10 2006 002 232 A1. This system covers, with approximately 10 sensors, the front corner of the cab of the vehicle. It works, however, only when standing and emits a warning only upon falling below a previously stored reference distance during start-up. This system has serious disadvantages as the detection region is greatly focused on a small region beside the cab and furthermore a warning occurs only when starting up from a standstill. Due to the system arrangement this system furthermore does not allow blind spot monitoring beside the vehicle.
German Patent Document DE 10 2006 007 173 A1 discloses a vehicle environment detection system for detecting objects approaching the side of the vehicle. A blind spot radar sensor detects a blind spot region lying to the side beside the vehicle. This intersects with the detection region of a front radar sensor.
German Patent Document DE 296 17 413 U1 describes a monitoring unit for zones around motor vehicles that are difficult to see or cannot be seen. A sensor and a warning display of the monitoring unit work only in a speed range between vehicle standstill and a predefined threshold speed.
Blind spot assistants or turning assistants typically detect obstacles located to the side of the vehicle (e.g., cyclists or pedestrians beside a heavy goods vehicle stopping at traffic lights). The heavy goods vehicle driver can often not see or only have a limited ability to recognize these obstacles in the mirror when it is dark. Cyclists and pedestrians are frequently not aware of the danger of such a situation.
Accordingly, exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide better monitoring of the side environment of a vehicle.
In accordance with the present invention, a vehicle is provided with a lighting unit for illuminating the environment of a vehicle and a detection unit for detecting an object in the vehicle environment. The lighting unit is automatically switched on if the detection unit has detected an object in the vehicle environment.
In accordance with an exemplary method, a vehicle environment is lit by a lighting unit and an object in the vehicle environment is detected. The lighting unit is automatically switched on if an object is detected in the vehicle environment.
The vehicle environment is preferably a blind spot region, i.e., an area that cannot be seen by the vehicle driver in spite of rear mirrors. It can further be advantageous if the lighting unit is arranged on the passenger side of the vehicle. Furthermore an assistance unit can be provided in the vehicle that records a signal of the detection unit and at least one further vehicle signal (e.g., for turning, starting up, lane change and similar) and controls the lighting unit in dependence upon the recorded signals.
In a special embodiment the lighting unit is switched on unconditionally if the detection unit detects a moving object in the vehicle environment. According to a further aspect the lighting unit is only switched on upon detection of a stationary object by the detection unit when the stationary object also lies in a travel path of the vehicle estimated by a vehicle-internal computing unit. It can additionally be advantageous that the lighting unit is automatically switched on if a reverse gear of the vehicle is engaged and driving lighting of the vehicle is switched on.